The Government's chief scientific adviser Dr Barry McSweeney has been removed from his position following controversy surrounding the his doctoral degree.
The Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Micheál Martin announced this evening that Dr McSweeney would take up a new position as research co-ordinator within the Department of Communications, Marine and Natural Resources.
Dr Barry McSweeney has been removed from his position
The controversy broke five weeks ago after it emerged Dr McSweeney received his PhD from Pacific Western University in the US.
The institution has been dismissed as a "degree mill" by a number of commentators.
Its degrees are not recognised by the US or Swedish governments nor by a number of US states.
In a short statement, Mr Martin said: "In his position as chief science adviser, Barry McSweeney has been effective in bringing stakeholders together and forging links across the Science, Technology and Innovation spectrum."
He said: "His achievements during his time in the position fully reflect the drive and enthusiasm which has been the hallmark of his career, both in Ireland and Europe"
Dr McSweeney's experience gained at the European Commission's Joint Research Centre will be a valuable asset in his new role, the Minister said.
Speaking later on RTE Radio, Mr Martin said that Dr Sweeney had volunteered to leave his position, just over one year after taking it up.
"In the best interests of all concerned in the circumstances, he felt it would be better to move to this position," he said.
The minister said the the €120,000 euro-a-year position of Chief Scientific Advisor would now be filled by public competition.
A spokesperson for the Department of Communications, Marine and Natural Resources said Dr Sweeney will report directly to the department's secretary general and work closely with its management committee "on the collective delivery of his challenging agenda".
Labour's science spokesperson Jan O'Sullivan said important government posts must only be filled and offered following appropriate advertisement and public competition.
Fine Gael front bench TD Olwyn Enright said it was unbelievable that the Government had appointed Dr McSweeney without first checking the background to his qualifications.
"It looks like the taxpayer will be left to foot the bill for another mistake by this Government as, like Michael Kelly from the Department of Health, a person deemed unacceptable for one senior post simply moves into another job without competition or indication of whether the post already existed or was `created' to solve a problem of their own making," she said.
Greens leader Trevor Sargent renewed his call for a new independent body to oversee Government appointments and for a more rigorous and transparent assessment of qualifications before such appointments are made.
He claimed that the Tanaiste Mary Harney had serious questions to answer regarding the circumstances surrounding the appointment of Dr McSweeney last year.
